Work-holder for boot and shoe machines.



, w'. c. STEWART. WORK HOLDER FOR 800T AND SHOE MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 17, 1912: RENEWED D EC. 29,1915- 1;174, 1 95. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

25 I messes iiiakni THE COLUMBXA PLAQIOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON, n. c.

onion.

WILLIAM C. srnwaa'r, OFSWAMPSCOT'I, massaoransnr'rs, AssIeivoR 'ro UNITED SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, or rarnnson, NEVJ'JERSEY, A CORPORATION on NEW JERSEY.

WORK-HOLDER FOR BOOT AND SHOE MACHINES.

Application filed. September 17, 1912, SerialNo. 720,796. Renewed December 29, 1915. Serial No. 69,265.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM O. STEWART, a, subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in VVork-Holders for Boot and Shoe Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to work holders for use in boot and shoe machines, and more particularly to a top-lift retainer for bolding a top-lift to its carrier in what are generally known as heel attaching machines.

Machines of the general character indicated are usually provided with a top lift carrier, which is, normally maintained in such position that the operator or his assistant may conveniently place a top-lift thereon in engagement with certain positioning devices, such for instance as breast and back gages, with which the top-lift carrier is usually provided. Thereafter this carrier with the top-lift thereon is moved to a position so that in the following operation of the machine the top-lift may be properly secured to the heel of the shoe. The positioning devices on the carrier engage the edge portions of the top-lift'and since the latter is relatively thin, difiiculty has been experienced in maintaining the top-lift 1n place on the carrier during the movement of the carrier from top-lift receiving to top-lift delivering position. Displacement of the toplift or even its discharge from the carrier:

altogether is liable to occur owing either to the vibrations of the machine or the more mentof the carrier, or both.

With these facts in mind the aims and purposes of the present invention are toprovide means to obviate the stated difiiculty and at the same time to permit the heel and top-lift to properly come together during the operation of spanking on.

- The various features of the invention will part is to be secured to another by relative approach of the two.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a sectional view of a cross-headhaving a top-lift carrier mounted thereon and adapted to be swung froma normal position at the side of the cross-head to an operative position beneath the same, substantially as pointed out in the patent to Plant No. 958,292,1day 17, 1910; Fig. 2 is an enlarged View partly in section, showing the top-lift retainer and indicating by full and dotted lines the manner of its operation; and Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2. showing the relation of parts that may occur after the top-lift has been spanked onto the heel and the top-lift carrier and heel are being separated.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, 2 is a reciprocatory cross-head provided at its rear side with a rock-shaft 4- to which is connected a top-lift carrier 6 by means of arms or brackets 8 secured to the rock-shaft 4E. The rock shaft 4: may be oscillated or rocked to move the top-lift carrier 6 from top-lift receiving to top-lift delivering position by suitable means, such as the crank arm 10 secured to the rock-shaft at and actuated by the reciprocating rod 12 from an appropriate source of power. The top-' lift carrier 6 is provided with means for positioning a top-lift thereon, said means being herein shown as a top-lift, holder comprising a breast gage 14.- and a suitable back gage 16, said gages being relatively movable toward and from eachother to accommodate different sizes of top-lifts, as well understood by those skilled in the art.

The parts heretofore described all may be of any desired character, and preferably are substantially similar to those shown and described in the. prior Stewart Patent No. 958,041 of Mayl'i', 1910.

It is obvious that as the top-lift carrier 6 is moved from the top-lift receiving position at the back of the cross-head as indicated in said patent, to operative or delivering position beneath the cross-head, there is danger that the top-lift will be disengaged from its positioning devices either by the jarring of the machine, the shock due to rapid movement of the carrier or possibly by the loosening of the hold of the breast lift. The present invention, therefore, contemplates top-lift retaining means to co- Patented'Mar. 7, 1916.

operate with the top-lift positioning devices and insure the retention of the top-lift in proper position on the carrier for the spanking on operation. To do this unerringly the retaining means should overlie a portion of the top-lift surface, but since this surface is to come in close contact with the heel as the top-lift is spanked on, provision must be made to remove the retainer.

spanked. As one form of means to this end,

the back gage 16 or other suitable part connected to move with the top-lift carrier, is

provided with suitable lugs 17 projecting therefrom, and provided with elongated slots 18 in which is located the pin 19 projecting from theretainer 20 which is dis posed between said lugs, the construction being such that the retainer 20 may not only lind a pivotal support by the pin 19, but may also be capable of bodily movement in the direction of the slots 18, as will be ap parent.

The retainer 20 is formed as a finger preferably having a fiangedpart 21 which may rest upon the face of the back gage 16 or other part, said flange being preferably omitted near the free end of the retainer as at 22, the construction being such that when atop-lift is placed between the breast and back gages, the free end of the retainer 20 may overlie the surface of the top-lift, substantially as indicated in Fig. 1 and by full lines in Fig. 2, thereby insuring proper retention of the top-lift onthecarrier as the latter-moves from top-lift receiving'to toplift delivering position.

1 To maintain the-retainer normally in top lift holding position and yet permit ready displacement. of the retainer by the work as the heel and top-lift approach each other, suitable yielding means is employed. The means shown consists of a spring 29 secured at 30 to a projection 31 of the retainer 20, and attached by its other end at 32 to the lower portion of a lug 17,'the construction being such that the spring 29 acts upon the retainer to maintain its free end normally. in posit on to overlie a top lift position on the top-lift carrier, substantially as indicated in Fig. "1, and yet permits both sliding and turning movement of the retainer.

\Vhen the top-lift carrier is in top-lift delivering, or operative position, as indicated by Fig. 1, the heel 23 and the top-lift 24 which is to be secured thereto, are given a relative movement of approach to cause the top-lift come together the retainer will be forced back from overlying position relative to the top-lift by the action of'the heeledge upon the said incline 26, the retainer at such times moving from full to dotted line position as indicated in Fig. 2 and freeing itself from top-lift retaining position. It will be noted that this retreat of the retainerdoes not take place prematurely, but retains its operative relation overlying a portion of the top-lift until the heel and top-lift close upon each other, whereupon the heel or work itself acts upon the retainer and moves it from operative position.

It may happen at times that the retainer 20 will project so far over the rear edge of the heel'23, that as the heel and top-lift come together the incline 26 of the retainer will not be reached by the heel in a. manner to push the retainer rearward. For this reason the inclined edge 26 as well as a part of the flange 27 extending back therefrom are made su'fiiciently sharp to penetrate the heel substantially as indicated at 28, Fig. 3, so that as the heel and top-lift approach the flange 27 may sink some distance into the heel, whereupon the heel will,

upon further movement, act upon the incline 26 and force the retainer rearward. Even in cases where the inclineG meets the rear edge'of the heel, it may sink into the heel edge-a short distance, 'but in neither case is'this objectionable because the heel is subsequently trimmed to conform to'the top-lift and the incision disappears.

After the heel and top-lift have been properly forced together to spank the latter on to the projecting ends of the nails, the cross-head and heel separate, substantially as describedin the patent to Plant hereinbefore mentioned, and at such time the toplift leaves the top-lift carrier, the parts then assuming the relation indicated in Fig. '3. In said Fig. 3 it will be noted thatthe toplift retainer may follow the heel as the cross-head and heel separate, such action'being caused by the engagement of the end portion of the top-lift retainer with the heel or top-lift, andbeing permitted by the pivotal mounting of the retainer.

From "the construction described as one embodiment of the invention, it will be noted that a top-lift may readily be placed in position upon the top-lift carrier when the latter is in top-lift receiving position by simply moving the retainer rearward or swinging it by hand about its pivotal mounting and that when released the retainer will at once take position with its end portion overlying a part of the exposed surface of the top-lift and will maintain the top-lift in position on the carrier as the latter moves to delivering or operative position beneath the cross-head. When the heel and top-lift are given movement of relative approach for spanking on the toplift, the rear portion of the heel acting on the inclined end of the retainer will automatically force the retainer rearward and cause the heel and top-lift to be brought into close relation without further atten-- tion on the part of the operative, the action of the parts in this respect being indicated by the full and dotted line position of the retainer in Fig. 2.

Obviously changes may be made in the form and character of the parts within the true scope of the invention which is definitely pointed out by the claims, and it will be understood that the heel, preferably attached to the shoe, is properly supported to receive the top-lift by suitable means, which may be substantially as'described in the said Plant patent. While the invention has been described for the purpose of disclosing the character of the invention in connection with a top-lift and heel to which it is to be attached, it is to be understood that the term top-lift and heel in the claims are to be considered as generally inclusive of heel parts that are to be attached one to the other.

What is claimed is 1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top-lift carrier movable from top-lift receiving to top-lift delivering position, a top-lift retainer for holding the top-lift on the carrier as the latter is moved, and means acting normally to maintain the retainer in top-lift holding position, said retainer having an inclined edge to be engaged by the heel to elfect releasing movement of the retainer.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a work carrier for carrying a part of the work from receiving to delivering position, and means overlving said part of the work to hold it on the carrier and adapted to be engaged and moved from its overlying position and to release the work while on the carrier by another part ofthe work as the two parts of the work are moved relatively in a direction of approach.

3. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a work carrier for carrying a part of the work from receiving to delivering position, a retainer, and means normally acting to move and hold the retainer in position, overlying said part of the work to hold it on the carrier, said retainer having operating means adapted to be engaged by another part of the work as the two parts are brought together'to' automatically remove .the retainer from its overlying position.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a work carrier for'carrying a part of the work from receiving to delivering position, a retainer, and means acting on the retainer to cause a part thereof to overlie a portion of the work on the carrier, said retainer being movable by engagement with anotherpart of the work to removeit from said overlying position when the two parts of the work are brought together.

5. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top-lift carrier movable from receiving to delivering position, and a top-lift retainer movable with the carrier and having a part overlying the surface of the top-lift, said retainer having a part to be engaged by the heel as the toplift is. spanked on to remove the retainer from its overlying position relative to the top-lift. V Y

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of atop-lift carrier movable from receiving to delivering position, a retainer movable with the top-lift carrier and mounted for sliding movement with relation thereto, and means for holding the retainer with a part overlying the top-lift on the carrier, said retainer being adapted to contact with the heel as the top-lift is spanked on and be moved by said heel from its said overlying position with relation to the top-lift.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top-lift carrier movable from receiving to delivering position and a retainer movable with the carrier and having a part overlying the top-lift, said retainer having a sharpened edge to be met by and adapted to sink into the heel as the top-lift is spanked on to the heel.

' 8. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top-lift carrier, a toplift retainer mounted thereon for sliding and swinging movement relatively thereto, and having a part to overlie a top-lift on said carrier, and means acting normally to maintain the retainer in said overlying position, and yielding under the action of the heel to remove the retainer from such position as the top-lift is spanked upon the heel.

- 9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top-lift carrier. a toplift retainer mounted thereon for sliding and swinging movement relatively thereto, and having a part to overlie a top-lift on said carrier, said retainer having a beveled-end portion, and means acting normally to maintain the retainer in said overlying position, and yielding under the action of the heelvto remove the retainer from such position at the top-lift is spanked upon the heel.

10. In a machine of the character described, the combinationof a top-lift carrier movable from top-lift receiving to top-lift delivering position, and a top-lift retainer movable With the carrier and having a part normally overlying the top-lift, said overlying part being constructed and arranged to sink into the surface lift of a heel as the top-lift and heel are moved in a direction of relative approach.

11. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top-lift carrier movable from top-lift receiving to top-lift delivering position, a top-lift retainer, and means normally acting to hold a part of the retainer overlying the top-lift as it is moved by the carrier from top-lift receiving to top-lift delivering position, said part of the retainer being constructed and arranged to be engaged and moved by a heel as the toplift is spanked on the heel.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of atop-lift carrier movable from a top-lift receiving to a toplift discharging position, and a top-lift retainer movable with the top-lift carrier and mounted for. sliding movement relative thereto, said sliding retainer having a part overlying the top-lift and adapted to be engaged by the heel to thereby slide the retainer and release the top-lift from its control. 7

13. In a machine of the character decarrier to cause a part of the retainer to overlie the top-lift and hold it on the carrier and also in a plane at an angle to the surface of the carrier to permit the retainer to swing away from said surface.

14:. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top-lift carrier, and a top-lift retainer having a part to overlie a top-lift held by the carrier, said part of said top-lift retainer having an edge adapted to sink into and be covered by a heel as the top-lift is spanked thereon.

15. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a top-lift carrier 16, a top-lift retainer 20,and a spring actingnormally to cause the retainer to overlie a top-l1ft on the carrler 16, said retalner havmg a terminal portion 26 for engaging a l heel as the top-lift is spanked on to cause the retainer to release its control of the toplift.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM C. STEWART.

. IVitnesses:

ERIC A. HOLMGREN, HAROLD E. KnNyoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

